MgT Ursa - First Draft

[Jak Nazryth]

This is the very first draft, mostly taken from T20 and other sources I've skimmed over the past few weeks.
This is NOT the final version and I would appreciate any and all comments and suggestions. Since T20 was the only official licensed Traveller rule book (I am aware of) that has Ursa as an officially written up Minor race, I'm leaning heavily on it. I'm simply converting a 3d6 stat based system to a 2d6 stat based system... rounding up or down where it makes sense.
My campaign starts next week.
One of the players has already told me he wants to play an Ursa. So I want to get this nailed down by this weekend.
Here you go...

Traveller Minor Race
Ursa

Ursa are uplifted Bears from a experimental genetic program on Terra during the 2nd Impierium, or the “Rule of Man” as it is often referred to. The program was eventually closed down and many Ursa were exterminated, but enough escaped by there own initiative or with help from those sympathetic to their cause, fleeing Solimani space as far as they could go. The two primary areas where Ursa’s are the most prevalent are the Gateway Sector along the Trailing Edge of the 3rd Imperium, and in the wild regions Spinward of the 3rd Imperium.
One large stable Ursa Nation (They refer to themselves as "Murians") called the Altarian Confederation lies in the Vanguard Reach. While this is the only known multi-system government of, for, and by Ursa, there are still clans spread throughout the various border worlds and pocket empires on both sides of the 3rd Imperium.
Though rare, Ursa who are born, raised, and live within 3I borders are treated the same as any other citizen of the Imperium. As is with many other minor races, and non-human species, all citizens within the 3rd Impeirum are treated as equals under the law. However, because of their background many people view them as “lesser beings”. Unlike the Vargr, who were uplifted by the Ancients several hundred thousand years in the past… the same ancients that took Neanderthals and other early humans from Terra, spreading all over charted space, the Ursa were raised by humans on Terra only a mere two thousand or so years ago, thus not as “legitimate” as those uplifted by the ancients. Thus Ursa have a lower social status in most human space.
Ursa tend to have a gentle nature but are terrifying when roused to anger. They tend keep to themselves and are prone to not trust strangers at first, especially those who are Solimani by birth. Even though their social standing is low, 3I Ursa are sought after as shock troops or mercenaries. They are as large as Aslans, but don’t have an instinctual need to conquer new territory as do the Aslans. They’re size prevents them from being graceful, but they can still manipulate most human technology (Since the old Solimani Scientist designed their hands as larger versions of human hands)
Ursa still retrain clawed nails, though not as pronounced as their wild for-bearers. They do still however have a pronounced snout and large canines. Ursa are true omnivores but have an instinctual love of fish and other seafood, although they will eat and enjoy just about anything. Because of their size, shape and rarity, Ursa clothing and armor are twice the book price. Ursa clothing and armor found in Ursa dominated space, like the Altarian Confederation are 50% higher than book values, simply because of the extra material involved.
Base Stats
Str +3, Con +2, Dex -1, Int -1, Edu -1, Soc -2
Natural claws, +2 to brawling damage (Ursa can punch/pound/slap/hug without using claws if they so choose)
Large Sharp Teeth/Bite +3 to brawling damage (armor piercing on soft armor only???)


OK guys. Please tell me what seems right and what seems wrong.
Thanks

 

[Saladman]

Disclaimer: I have not seen T20, so I'm working solely off the 1e Mongoose book.

A key question is whether they are Large or not (as the mechanical tag, not simply a bit tall). If Large, they qualify for 3d6 Str, 1d6 Dex, and 3d6 End, replacing any +'s and -'s. It sounds to me like they qualify, but there's some judgement allowed here; K'Kree are Large for instance, while uplifted Dolphins and Apes simply have stat +'s. So your call.

If they're large(ish) but not tagged as Large I'd consider the Fast Metabolism tag for the increased life support costs, and change the Dex to -2 while you're at it, but with the initiative bonus that provides I wouldn't stack it onto Large. (Large also increases life support costs so there's no need to double up.)

They certainly have the Uplifted tag, but that's mostly pro forma.

The example natural weapons in Mongoose don't add damage to brawling, they're simply a weapon usable at personal range dealing x1 damage, and the creature gains Melee (natural weapon) 0.

If Large I would use -2 Int and Edu, for game balance reasons more than anything else.

If Ursa retain their ancestral thick fur and hides they may be Armoured, with 1 point of natural armor.

Theoretically you should rename/replace Social Standing with some equivalent characteristic unique to Ursa amongst themselves. You can drop the -2 modifier amongst themselves, but you might choose to add a reaction penalty for other races if Ursa have a bad reputation or are instantly off-putting (this is uncommon though).

In sum, my own draft would be: Large, Str 3d6 Dex 1d6 End 3d6 Int -2 Edu -2 (Soc) -. Uplifted, Natural Armor (1 point), Natural Weapon (claws or bite) starting at melee 0.

 

[NOLATrav]

I like the extensive background material and the social stigma is a good role playing hook.

The melee combat advantages are nice but there should be a trade off - maybe Armor with protection 4+ negates the bonus damage, both claws and teeth. Or perhaps DM-1 per protection above 3.

Why -1 INT? Also, perhaps the -1 EDU could possibly be mitigated based on the PC's birth/homeworld. If born in Ursa "core" worlds, no EDU penalty for instance. I fear you're headed toward "big dumb brute" territory and that's not nearly as interesting as the social stigma hook.

Otherwise, looking pretty darn good!

 

[Jak Nazryth]

Thanks for your comments so far. The "history" is my short hand version of what was already published in T20, in fact most everything I'm relying on is from T20.
Since it is the only officially recognized/authorized write-up I'm aware of.
I was introduced to Flynn's guide to Alien Creation from a friend last night after I posted.
While Flynns looks great, (I've only had a chance to skim through it as of this morning) Ursa don't seem to fit neatly into the basic principals of the guide mechanics, but we need to remember the Ursoid species was created in Solomani labs during the height of the 2nd Imperium, around 2000 years ago. So as a game mechanic, we can overlook "natural" evolution a bit.
T20 gives Ursa's a +4 Str, so when you go from 3d6 to 2d6 that makes it easy... +3. The rest of the stats including Int and End are all derived from T20 as well, though I am completely open to change and "rounding" stats up or down.
What I haven't added yet is low light vision, natural armor, those types of things.
It was kind of late last night and some of this was memory and guess work on my part.
Consider this a group effort.
However, my goal is still to match the t20 version as closely as the game mechanics will allow.

Sub species can also exist, variety is the spice of life. But first I want to nail down the basics no later than this weekend.

Thanks for any and all input.

 

[Sigtrygg]

There was a really good thread on CotI discussing how the Ursa could be done right.

Research real world bear behaviour and traits and then consider how uplift would affect them.

The consensus was the T20 presentation doesn't do them the justice they deserve.

For example, bears are solitary by nature, adult males and nursing females are incredibly violent and aggressive. Adolescent males and childless females are a lot less violent but still solitary by nature.

Now uplift them so their intelligence can mitigate their nature, but retain the solitary and more violent with age/rearing young bit.

Here is a link to the thread:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=37025&highlight=ursa

 

[Jak Nazryth]

So after reading T20 again, Ursa are in fact considered "Large" and the D20 game mechanic and Mongoose are so similar when it comes to combat scale, that it makes sense to view Ursa as "Large" in the Mongoose game mechanics as well.
I had always thought the Ursa were about the same size as Aslans. Alsans stand 2 meters on average and weight 100 kg. (Around 6'-7" and 220 pounds on average) 100 kg seem really light for a large cat that stands almost over 6 1/2 feet tall. For the record, I am 6'-2" and weight 225 pounds, but I have a bit more muscular build than the average guy, and I've gotten a bit soft over the last 10 years... so about 18% body fat...
A large Alsan can easily be 7' tall.

Ursa stand between 2.5 and 3 meters tall when standing on the hind legs and 1.2 to 1.5 meter when on all four (Ursa can move/run either on 2 legs or all four legs)

For the record, here are the T20 stats.
+4 Str, +2 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Int, -4 Social.
x2 Stamina points, 10+con life blood points, base speed of 12 meters, -1 AC due to size, +1 natural AC bonus (thick skin and fur), 2 natural attacks "slap" 1d8+2 and "hug" 2d6+str mod (hug can be performed and cause damage after a successful grapple), low light vision, +2 to all listen and spot checks, +4 to move silently (this was before the d20 system rolled "move silent" and "hide in shadows" into the all purpose "stealth" skill),

I know some of that might not make sense to those who are unfamiliar with the generic d20 game mechanics... but there you go. That is the only officially recognized rules that have in writing the stats and background information for the Ursoid race. (That I'm aware of)

In my first draft version I reduced the negative for social standing but added a -1 for education to balance the stats. But I don't have to do this, in fact I can give them a -3 Soc and an unmodified Education score.
So per the older MgT1 rules, Large creatures have 3d6 for physical stats? On page 50 of the new core rules it says the rules for creating Aliens will be in the Traveller companion book. The link I just looked at says it won't be release in PDF format until June with the book coming out in October.

Does anyone have any knowledge of what this new version is going to be like, or can we simply go by the MgT1 rules? As in... will enough change to matter for size and stats?

One more thing.
Natural weapons.

On page 116 (a long way from the combat rules) I finally found how much damage you do in unarmed combat. 1D6
Even though I used "brawling" in my opening paragraph, the intent was "melee-unarmed Combat"
So simply change "brawling" with "unarmed combat" in my draft and you still get the +2 damage to the base 1d6 that everyone gets when punching/kicking/head butting/brawling/elbowing.... anyone here been in a bar fight in college? If you have, you know what I mean.

So it seems that no matter if an attack is defined as a natural weapon, or melee-unarmed, the base is always 1d6.... and the claws, teeth, tail whip, or what ever simply add a +1, +2, or +more to the basic 1d6 damage.

More to come. I'm doing this over my lunch and it is time for me to return to the office.

 

[Saladman]

So per the older MgT1 rules, Large creatures have 3d6 for physical stats?

For Str and End yes, but Dex is 1d6.

One more thing.
Natural weapons.

On page 116 (a long way from the combat rules) I finally found how much damage you do in unarmed combat. 1D6
Even though I used "brawling" in my opening paragraph, the intent was "melee-unarmed Combat"
So simply change "brawling" with "unarmed combat" in my draft and you still get the +2 damage to the base 1d6 that everyone gets when punching/kicking/head butting/brawling/elbowing.... anyone here been in a bar fight in college? If you have, you know what I mean.

So it seems that no matter if an attack is defined as a natural weapon, or melee-unarmed, the base is always 1d6.... and the claws, teeth, tail whip, or what ever simply add a +1, +2, or +more to the basic 1d6 damage.

Correct; claws and teeth is +2 in 1e. And I wouldn't be in any hurry to increase that. If I'm not mistaken T20 characters have more total "hit points" than Traveller characters do (I'm aware T20 handles hp a little differently than D&D, but still the T20 pool is larger). In Mongoose Str adds to the melee attack roll, and the Effect of the attack roll is added to damage, so you're already getting an "I'm a bear" bonus to damage by giving them a higher Strength.

However, my goal is still to match the t20 version as closely as the game mechanics will allow.

I can see why, but I think this is misguided. A literal translation, just adjusting the stat mods from 3-18 range to 2-12 range, ignores how the rest of the frame of Traveller differs from d20. I think a looser translation into Mongoose will both fit better and actually be more faithful to the spirit.

In my first draft version I reduced the negative for social standing but added a -1 for education to balance the stats. But I don't have to do this, in fact I can give them a -3 Soc and an unmodified Education score.

So, Str +3, Con +2, Dex -1, Int -1, Edu -, Soc -3? Bonuses are nominally zeroed, but Str +3 Soc -3 is a better than even trade for some players. I'm also hung up on Social Standing - the standard approach in Traveller is that non-humans don't use Soc exactly, they use a renamed stat internally. I would be inclined to give Ursa a racial reaction penalty from grouchiness or bad reputation, but that can balance off of natural armor and weapons, not just stats.

There was a really good thread on CotI discussing how the Ursa could be done right.

Research real world bear behaviour and traits and then consider how uplift would affect them.

The consensus was the T20 presentation doesn't do them the justice they deserve.

For example, bears are solitary by nature, adult males and nursing females are incredibly violent and aggressive. Adolescent males and childless females are a lot less violent but still solitary by nature.

Now uplift them so their intelligence can mitigate their nature, but retain the solitary and more violent with age/rearing young bit.

Here is a link to the thread:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=37025&highlight=ursa

Had to wade through some thread-crapping, but that did have some good thoughts in there. Everything but stats, sadly.

Following it up on Soc, solitaryness and aggressiveness. Maybe Ursa' social stat is Ferocity. And maybe it's not rolled, it's generated by adding Str and End and dividing by 3. (I'm still going with Large stats, not +'s for my own purposes.) High Ferocity Ursa are more able to command and cow low Ferocity Ursa, which in normal circumstances in civilian life they use mainly to live in splendid, majestic solitude. While low Ferocity Ursa congregate and cooperate more, but it's a less ordered and obedient cooperation than other races would be used to. Only in invasions and emergencies do they all come together under command of the fiercest.

I'm not sure I'm attached to it though, it's backwards from how we're used to thinking of "charisma"/social standing working. Still in the thinking out loud stage.

Mayyyybeeee... keep sexual dimorphism in? Ursa with rolled Str of 3-10 are female and 11-18 are male? Kind of a loaded topic, especially if Soc is tied to Str. It's certainly the case in real bears, as in the example of the biologist saying the easiest way to sex polar bears was to notice that males were twice as large as females, though conceivably it could have been washed out while they were in the genome tinkering with everything else.